One last hurrah – Shuttle Discovery flies piggy-back to Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum, Udvar-Hazy Center

NASA space shuttle Discovery took a spectacular ride around Washington, DC today on its way to its final stop – Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum, Udvar-Hazy Center near Dulles Airport in Virginia. Discovery was mounted atop the space agency's 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft and made a number of photo-friendly low passes – at about 1,500 feet around parts of the capitol region. Here’s a look at the giant flying photo-op.

Discovery is elevated in the Mate Demate facility at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., April 15, 2012. Discovery was later mated with the 747 for its relatively short piggy-back flight to Virginia.